Who is Roki Sasaki? Everything you need to know about Japanese sensation attracting MLB interest, including Yankees

At the World Baseball Classic, Japanese superstar Roki Sasaki stated that it was his "dream" to one day play in the majors.

The 21-year-old flamethrower is currently with the Chiba Lotte Marines, but a move to the MLB looks to be on the horizon. Sasaki has dominated in the NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball) and is one of the most exciting young players in the game. Despite his age, many believe he is already capable of being an MLB ace.

New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman was spotted in Chiba on Sunday to watch the talented pitcher in action. That has led to speculation that the Yanks could be interested in the star in the future.

In Japan, Sasaki was the unanimous first pick entering the 2019 NPB draft. Coming out of high school, he was regarded as the top prospect in Japan and had a commanding fastball that already topped 100 mph.

Since making his NPB debut in 2019, Roki has a 19-9 record and a lifetime 1.92 ERA. He has struck out an incredible 373 batters in just 280.2 innings.

Roki Sasaki relies predominantly on three different pitches. He is famous for his fastball that regularly tops 100 mph and also has an efficent slider and a split-finger fastball that can leave hitters off balance.

In April 2022, Sasaki had the most memorable outing of his career. Just 20 years old at the time, he threw a perfect game that included 19 strikeouts. It was just the 16th perfect game in NPB history and is considered one of the greatest pitching performances in the history of Japanese baseball.

Roki Sasaki was a member of the Japan team that won the 2023 World Baseball Classic

The right-handed pitcher was always a big star in Japan but really made a name for himself at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Team Japan defeated the United States to win a record third WBC title in March. Sasaki played a key role in the early rounds and was one of the stars of a talented Japanese team.

Talk this offseason will focus on Ohtani and his new contract, but there is another Japanese superstar that is drawing a lot of attention.

Roki Sasaki insists he is not ready to make a decision on when he will move. Keep an eye out for the exciting young talent in the MLB in the future.